Oneida County deputy shot and killed

Oriskany, NY -- The man who allegedly shot and killed an Oneida County deputy sheriff early this morning will be charged with aggravated murder pending his recovery from his own gunshot wounds, county officials said.

Deputy Kurt Wyman, 24, was shot about 2 a.m. at the home of Christian Patterson in the town of Augusta as Wyman and other officers tried to take Patterson into custody following a six-hour armed standoff, Sheriff Robert Maciol said at a 10 a,m. news conference.

Wyman was treated at the scene and taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital but died, Maciol said.

Patterson, 40, of 5488 Knoxboro Road, Augusta, also was taken to St. Elizabeth's. Maciol declined to describe his injuries, but District Attorney Scott McNamara said Patterson had come out of surgery shortly before the news conference began.

"The only punishment for this crime is life without parole and that's what we will seek," McNamara said. The aggravated murder charge will be filed when it is appropriate, based on Patterson's medical condition, he said.

Wyman, a deputy since 2007, was a Marine Corps reservist who was activated in 2008 and served in Iraq. When he returned he was assigned to the sheriff's Waterville field office. He was the sheriff's rookie of the year in 2010 and twice won the department's Grand Cordon Medal.

Survivors include his parents, a sister, his 18-month-old son and his wife, Lauren, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child. A sheriff’s department official said she went into labor early this morning after learning her husband had been shot.

Oneida County Deputy Kurt Wyman, who was killed while on duty.

About 8:08 p.m. Monday, Wyman and Deputy Mark Chrysler were sent by county E-911 officials to a reported domestic dispute at Patterson's home, Maciol said. Patterson had threatened to kill his live-in girlfriend. Shannon Secor, and himself, the sheriff said.

Secor was able to get away, Maciol said. Wyman, Investigator David Nowakowski and Sgt. Robert Nelson negotiated with Patterson, who was armed with a shotgun, for six hours.

Patterson refused to surrender and several times said things that made the deputies believe he was going to harm himself, Maciol said.

About 2 a.m, as the deputies tried to take him into custody, Patterson fired at Wyman and Nowakowski. Three members of the sheriff's office returned fire. Patterson was hit, but Maciol and other officials declined to describe the number or extent of his injuries.

Citing the ongoing investigation, Maciol and McNamara declined to answer questions seeking details about the incident that summoned the deputies or events that led to the fatal exchange of gunfire. Lt. James McCarthy, a department spokesman, said officials at this time would not identify the deputies who fired at Patterson.

Authorities have applied for warrants to allow them to search Patterson's home and collect evidence, McNamara said.

The news conference took place in the shade of a tree at the sheriff's headquarters on Judd Road, Oriskany. As Maciol, McNamara and County Executive Anthony Picente took to the podium, a dozen or so officials stood behind them. Perhaps 40 more, in uniform and in plain clothes, lined the sidewalk by the building.

"This is a sad and tragic day for the entire Oneida County community," Picente said. "Unfortunately we have had to go through this three times in the last five years where our officers were killed in the line of duty -- (New Hartford Officer) Joseph Corr, (Utica Officer) Tom Lindsay and now Deputy Wyman. He was, as the sheriff said, a fine example of the law enforcement that this community has been so grateful and fortunate to have among us."

"Our hearts go out to the Wyman family, as the sheriff said, and more importantly to this law enforcement community that continues to protect us night and day and never understands or knows what they are going to face when they go out on a call, and for that we are forever grateful," Picente said.